| Stardust Family United Creates Relief Fund for Coworkers in Need | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 09:35 am EDT 04/21/20 | |
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| Stardust Family United Creates Relief Fund for Coworkers in Need Employees of Ellen's Stardust Diner are raising money for coworkers who are unable to get government assistance. "Oh, you have got to go to Stardust!" Every tourist that comes through the doors of Ellen's Stardust Diner has probably been told that once or twice before their trip to New York. But, as of March 17th, Ellen's Stardust Diner has temporarily closed its doors due to COVID-19. The 200+ staff has been furloughed until it is deemed safe to reopen. Some employees are currently receiving unemployment, but many employees do not qualify for the assistance needed to make ends meet. When asked how the crisis is affecting employees, one Stardust employee said: "We are without family [and] without money. We come to this country to work alone for 3 or 4 years… Unfortunately, we are trying to survive with our last week that we worked… We will not be able to pay [rent] for the month of May, we do not know what to do, the consulate of our country is not working, our situation is really sad and discouraging. We hope, we hope, and we ask God that all this happens soon…but in these difficult times for us, those of us who are not eligible to obtain any support from the government, we can only appeal to the good heart of the people who can lend us a hand." A lending hand is exactly what Stardust Family United is trying to give. Stardust Family United (SFU), is a solidarity union at Ellen's Stardust Diner. The union was founded in 2016 with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) to defend safety, security, and dignity in the workplace. In light of recent events, SFU members voted and agreed to create an Employee Relief Fund for their fellow employees needing assistance. They also voted to donate the first $2,000 directly from their monthly union dues as a gesture of support and solidarity. The fund was created through GoFundMe, and has gained traction from patrons of the diner, as well as servers contributing their own money into the fund to help their coworkers. Many servers, or Stardusters, have shared the fund along with video footage of themselves singing a song to spread awareness. The Stardusters are even taking song requests for donations, along with tiered donation amounts as an incentive. The fund has a goal of $25,000 and SFU believes they can reach the goal with the help of the Broadway community that has surrounded and supported the diner for the past 30 years. The GoFundMe page is currently live and openly accepting any contributions. For information on the fund, please contact the following email on how to donate: contact@stardustfamilyunited.com . |
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| Link | Go Fund Me page |
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